AIMS in partnership with the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) in Berlin and with funding support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), launched the AIMS ESMT Industry Immersion Program (AIMS ESMT IIP) at AIMS South Africa in July 2017.

The 2018 program will start in July at AIMS South Africa. Applications from AIMS alumni and students with an interest in business are welcome.

Highlights of the Program include:

The chance for 25 qualified and industry inclined AIMS students graduating from the 2017/18 academic year and AIMS alumni to participate in a 20-week residential and fully-funded Industry Immersion Program starting mid-2018, with the following aims:

To give AIMS alumni the opportunity to contribute to the economic transformation of Africa by immersing them in a practical, skills-based employability program

To develop their basic managerial and organizational skills

To foster behavioural competences in participants that are demanded by employers

To transfer teaching and training competences from one of Europe’s leading business schools to one of Africa’s rising scientific institutions

To develop business linkages between African graduates and German business operating in Africa through internship and post-graduate employment.

The program has been conceived as a mixture of academic and practical learning and skill development which will allow participants to transition from a scientific environment to an applied industry setting.

The backbone of the program is the 12 week internship module with participating industry partners, beginning 5 weeks after program start, during which participants will experience a business environment first hand and apply their academic learning. Companies will also undertake a team-based consulting project with a group of interns.